Untitled
by Wildly Obsessed
Summary: Meet Kris: outlandish, bold, & out to prove that men aren't the only ones who can play the game. Bradin is, of course, intrigued. A walking contradiction, everything she does entices, confuses, & amazes him. Can Bradin accept doing things on her terms?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This is very important! In this story, Bradin is starting grade twelve, but **he's been in Playa Linda since the summer before his eleventh year**! Okay? Okay. And I realize it's very stupi for me to start yet another story but I've had this idea nagging at me for a week. It might be a very short story, but it's coming. Review if you want. Rated for language, and scenes later on.

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**Chapter One - The New Girl**

It was the first day of school. The house was a chaotic sphere of people running around, last minute searches for items, and loud exclamations of how they were going to be late. Nikki was still on the phone with Amber, fretting about her outfit, despite the fact that she had all of five minutes before she'd have to leave the house. Derek couldn't find his shoe, and he mysteriously lost his backpack too. Ava was frazzled as ever, trying to pack lunches, make breakfast, and yell at Nikki to hurry up in one simultaneous movement. Jay wasn't present; he had to be at the surf shop bright and early, skipping out on the hectic routine much to Ava's disgruntlement. Johnny was searching for Derek's items, and trying to calm down Ava. Susanna, much as she would love to help out, was finding the situation insanely funny and was laughing at the circus that had become her family.

Meanwhile, Bradin had overslept but somehow managed to shower, pack his stuff, eat breakfast, and find (by tripping over and swearing at) Derek's backpack before his other two siblings were even close to finishing.

"Good luck." He chuckled to Ava as he bite into his apple on his way out the door.

"You too." She managed to smile. "Have fun, and come home in time for dinner, because Johnny's cooking tonight."

"Yeah, I will," Bradin nodded. He glanced up at the phone and picked it up. "Nikki, shut up and just pick something, I can see Cameron walking up to our front door already!"

Her shriek shook the house. Bradin laughed and dashed out the door, waving to Cameron on his way out.

Bradin had been living in Playa Linda for over a year now, and it had become pretty home-like. It could never replace Kansas in his mind but it was still a great place to live. His life had been weird the past year, he'd had four serious relationships, all of which had failed and left him single at the moment. First there was Sarah, the blonde bombshell- truer words were never spoken. Then came Callie, who was sweet but ultimately too unsure of herself and of him, not to mention moody, to stay with. There was also that quick fling with Erika, his surf instructor whom he'd crushed on for months before they actually got together. It was just a physical attraction, with her, and soon fizzled out, lasting not even a full month. There was also a rather nice girl named Trish whom he'd been with for a while, but she had broken up with him when her ex came back into the picture.

Looking past his love life, Bradin had also found a new talent- surfing. He'd won a few trophies and competitions, and a love of the waves was awoken in the former farm boy.

He'd gone through a rough year, when he stopped to think about it. His past relationships were all a bust, he had gotten into steroids and –once and only once- he'd overdosed, he had actually flunked a few classes- though he was back on track now-, he got kicked off his high school surf team because he had a fling with his coach, who happened to be over eighteen while he was, uh, not, and then of course were the minor details of his parents' death causing him to become an orphan and the relocation to a whole new state. He'd lived through it, though, and had, to his relief, become popular in his new school just as he had in his old one. He'd made friends quickly. His last year was turbulent, but hey it was interesting and at times a lot of fun. Bradin knew he'd make this year worth it, too.

Arriving at the school, he greeted some of his friends at the entrance, smiling and occasionally saying hello to a few people he passed on the way there. It was nice having everyone in the school know who he was. Homeroom flashed by, with a few new students, the occasional pretty girl, but no one who stood out. The new and old jaw dropping hotties he saw were standard, and though it was flattering being checked out by them, Bradin had gone that route before. He wasn't looking for some bland beauty; he was tired of being constantly flirted with.

Anyways, the morning passed by fairly basically without too much happening. Lunchtime rolled around and as he stood in line for food, someone finally caught his eye. She took up a good chunk of space with her legs widely spaced out; hands on her hips, impatient look on her face. She was the recipient of several interested/amused/surprised/critical looks and a few people were obviously talking about her. Not that the girl seemed to notice or care. She had deep purple hair, coloured with flaming red streaks tossed around randomly. Her lips were a brilliant white, which clashed spectacularly with her hair, but that appeared to be the only form of make up she had on. Across her shirt read the lime green words- 'If you're reading this, stop staring at my chest, you pervert,' and her black jeans looked like they had been through hell and back with their rip marks, natural faded colour, and a few strangely tinted stains.

Smirking a bit at her shirt, Bradin took a few steps up so that he was beside her. She realized he was looking at her and looked up from her book (yes the line was seriously that long) and gave the blonde a 'what the fuck do you want' look.

"Hey." Bradin smiled. "New here?"

"No, I'm that girl you dated last year, then screwed with, then dumped." She giggled. "Like, oh my God, I've been waiting here for, like, ever for you to come over here and talk to me. I was standing here just waiting to be rescued by your handsome hotness!" She finished with a would-be sugary smile and added in, "So, do you want my number? Shall I scrawl it on your probably huge dick?"

"I can honestly say I've never talked to anyone who's managed to be that sarcastic in such a short time." Bradin raised his eyebrows.

"What do you want?" she asked, her expression clearly saying that she thought she already knew and couldn't be less thrilled.

"I like your hair," Bradin commented, choosing not to answer.

"That line just took my breath away." She deadpanned. "Look, surfer dude, what would possess you to strike up a conversation with me? Do I look like I'd be receptive? 'Cause I'm not, if you haven't noticed. And no, I don't want to get a coffee, no I don't want to see a movie, go to the beach, see you flex, or study together. So, what, really, is there left for you to ask me?"

"Uh, could you pass me that soda over there?" Bradin gestured. Any other girl would have been embarrassed about going into a tangent about something when the person whom they were talking to simply wanted them to pass them something, but obviously this was not the case here.

She handed him the soda without missing a beat and turned back to her book. "Nice alibi. You handle rejection and humiliation with denial, be proud."

"It's not rejection when I didn't ask you out in any way shape or form." Bradin pointed out.

"No, you just wanted to be gal pals with me by saying you liked my hair and asking if I was new." She smiled.

"You are really-" Bradin started.

"Bitchy? Moody? High maintenance? Frigid? Sarcastic? I've heard it all, yes I am, what's it to you?" she finished for him. "I don't make any fronts about who I am and if you have any issues with who I am, then by all means, do me a favour and piss off."

"I was going to say defensive-" Bradin interjected before she could go off again.

"Look, I hate this school, I've been in this bloody city for less than twenty four hours and I already don't like it, and I really am in no mood for this." She shook her head and dismissed him. Carting her tray, she started to walk off.

"What's 'this'?" Bradin frowned after her.

"Get bent." She called over her shoulder without so much as a pause.

Bradin was torn between being angry, annoyed, confused, amused, and bewildered. Oh well, he'd been right about something; she was definitely different than the other girls here. Somehow, with all her go away vibes that radiated from her by the truckload, he was a bit captivated. She was interesting. Completely unapproachable, somewhat of a bitch, and totally not interested, but interesting. Not to mention full-forced with her defensiveness, and Bradin couldn't help but think that no one could be that snarky, that cynical with everything, if they didn't have a back story.

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It turned out that Bradin shared a class with the girl he met at lunch. He had just sat down in AP physics when he saw her stride through the door and plop into a seat close to him. It was purely coincidental; as she was still reading from that book she had carried earlier and hadn't even glanced up at whom she was sitting beside.

The teacher smiled at the class and decided that the two new students should introduce themselves. Both the violet haired girl Bradin had met and a second, petite brunette girl had to stand up. The brunette went first.

"I'm from Nashville, and I can't wait to hit some of the beaches here." She smiled, eyeing a few of the guys with a glint in her eyes.

"I can't surf, don't paraglide, water ski, or sun tan. I'm a bit at a loss as to what to do around this massive beach." The violet haired girl said, smile twitching at her lips. "And that's all the info you'll really get." Bradin chuckled at her words, wondering if the distinction between her use of 'can't' and 'don't' was intentional.

As the class progressed, Bradin got a shock to discover that this girl was smart. That sounds bad, really bad, but Bradin seriously didn't think she looked like the type who would care about school. She had volunteered information and her hand shot up so many times during the class, and her answers were so thoughtful, that that theory was quickly gone. The thing was, she was extremely polite to their teacher. She had been all fuck off-y before, and didn't seem to care about anything around her, and yet now she was enthusiastically contributing to the class. She had serious chances of becoming a favourite of the teacher. Geez, Bradin seriously had her pegged as a slacker.

Bradin was active in the class discussion as he normally was, physics was one of his best and favourite subjects so the sentences flowed freely and quickly. The first time he did this, he caught the girl give him a shocked look.

When class ended, Bradin again got a surprise when he gathered up his books and looked up to find the girl standing by his desk, waiting for him.

"Look, so I might have come off a bit testy before." She said flatly. "And I sort of thought you were another brain dead surfer slash jock slash whatever, and I see that I was wrong, and I guess I owe you an apology."

"Way to give in to prejudice." Bradin raised his eyebrows. "What, do I look brain dead?"

"I know, it was bad, judging by appearances. But I realize that I didn't really even let you get in a word when we were talking earlier, and the few things you said weren't exactly reason for me to get my hackles up." She shrugged.

"It's okay, but why did you get so worked up?" he asked. She just shrugged. "And by the way, how'd you know I was a surfer?"

"Please. Tan, Californian, built, and confident. How could you not be? And plus, something like three quarters of the population here surfs." She answered with a wry smile.

"Yeah, well, only a quarter surfs well." Bradin stated.

"And I'm assuming you think you're in that?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I'm just saying, if you ever want someone to teach you how to, I wouldn't mind." He offered. "It'd give you something to do around here."

"I can't swim very well, I don't know if that'd be a good idea." She told him. "Anyways, yeah, I didn't mean to bite your head off. I just was sick of all the comments people kept saying to me. Right. Well, I'm going to go now."

"So, you don't actually have a problem with me?" Bradin clarified, grasping her arm to stop her from taking off.

"You're hot and smart, and not as sick as some other people I've talked to. Sure." She smirked. "If I had to choose, I'd probably do you."

Bradin was taken back by her frankness. "Uh…thanks?"

"Don't look so surprised. From what I've seen and heard, most of the girls' here think like that. I guess you're the alpha here, every guy wants to be you and every girl wants to do you." She said thoughtfully.

"I wouldn't say that…" Bradin corrected. "I'm popular, but not the most."

"Oh really, who would you say is the most?" she curiously asked.

"I don't know… Ryan? Maybe James?" he shrugged.

"I've heard a brief mention of those two." She nodded in assent. "And they're pretty good looking too, but most of the focus is on you, Westerly. Must've been in this town for years to get that much fan fare."

"Actually I just came here in grade eleven." He shook his head.

"Hmm. Must have a smashing personality, then." She cocked her head. "Or maybe you're just exceptionally good."

"Could you please stop trying to analyze me? It's creepy." Bradin muttered, turning a shade of red.

"Shy? Wouldn't have thought of it." She smiled.

"I'm not. I just normally don't talk about this to people. Especially not to a girl I've barely met." Bradin protested.

"How many girls have you gone out with?" she asked.

"Why?" Bradin retorted.

"I'm curious." She answered.

"I've dated a fair few…" he shrugged.

"Wow, lost count." She whistled.

"You're making me sound like such a…" Bradin laughed.

"Slut?" she finished for him.

"…Not the word I would've chosen." He grinned.

"Though, it can't be that many girls or they would've labelled you as heartbreaker by now. You must be somewhat decent." Stated she.

"Um, I am." He told her.

"Right." She smiled. "I've got to go." And then in a sudden movement, she stepped closer to him and cupped his face, frenching him as if it was perfectly normal. His automatic reaction was to kiss her back, and his tongue was still lingering in her mouth when she just as suddenly pulled back and smirked, "Mmm. Not bad. I can start to see what some of the fuss is about."

Before he could even answer to that, she grinned and stepped back. "By the way, I'm Kris. Tina, if you want to be a tight wad." And without waiting for his shock to wear off, she whirled around and strode off, leaving Bradin completely confused and with a very nice taste in his mouth.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks for reviewing! Yes, this is very different in tone than my other Summerland stories, as you'll probably see after this chapter. It's a bit short, so I apologize but I can promise that the next chapter will be up very soon. Please r n r and all suggestions are welcome, plot ideas? character background thoughts? Feel free!

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"What's with you, Kansas?" Erika smiled with that killer smile of hers as she caught up to Bradin as he strode along the sidewalk by the beach walking home that day. "I've been calling for you for and you didn't even glance at me!"

"Sorry, I just started school." He apologized.

"Oh, how was it?" she asked.

"Weird." Bradin shook his head. His thoughts were still swimming and his senses still bouncing after that girl (Kris, did she say?) had crushed her lips against his. He could still taste the vanilla lipstick she had been wearing.

"I see that I'm not going to get much out of you today," she laughed, noticing his bemused expression. "I've got to go, but say hi to her for me."

"Who?" Bradin blinked.

"The girl who put that look on your face." Erika smirked. "See ya."

Bradin chuckled as the brunette jogged off and he tried to rearrange his face so that he wasn't as transparent. He reached the house and waved to Ava who was on the phone. She gestured madly at a plate of banana bread and grinned at him. He grabbed a piece and he gave her a thumb up in answer to the question that was dancing in her eyes.

"I see you've found your shoe." Bradin laughed as he walked by Derek. "How was it?"

"The teacher hates me already." He grumbled.

"Pssst. They all hate everyone." Bradin told him with a conspiratorial wink.

"Bradin, don't tell him that!" Nikki reprimanded with a laugh as she strode down the stairs from her room. "I, on the other hand, had a great day."

"Cameron liked your outfit, I trust?" he grinned.

"Shut up, you took twice as long as I did when you were starting high school two years ago." Nikki threw a cushion at him.

"Excuse me if starting grade six meant taking, what, five minutes to prepare?" Bradin snorted. "Just kidding. I'm glad you had fun."

That evening, the family was treated to a delicious dinner, courtesy of Ava's fiancée and surrogate father to the kids, Johnny Durant. It was a large group, with four adults who were sometimes more irrational and reckless than the actual kids, but they had all become very close in their time together and they had, more or less, been able to overcome the shock and grief that the two deaths had brought upon them.

Bradin hadn't made plans that evening, as it was tradition for the family to reflect a bit together on the years that passed after the kids had their first day. It was a bit hokey, but Bradin honestly liked playing a few cheesy board games with his family, and watching some G, or at the most PG, rated movies with his younger siblings. It was sort of the time they put aside to be a family again, and remember their parents and all that they had done for them.

"You are going to come straight back here after your first day at college next year, right?" Derek asked Bradin.

"Sure, D." he smiled, ruffling his brother's hair.

"This is going to be the last year before you leave." Nikki stated in awe. "How weird is that?"

"Before you even go there, no you can't have my room," Bradin smirked. "I'll be around. Maybe not close, but around."

"You'd better hope you do well this year, if you don't score a scholarship you're pretty much screwed." Jay teased.

"Ha ha," Susanna rolled her eyes.

"I was kidding," Jar held up his hands.

"Shut up and go, already," Bradin shook his head and threw the dice at his head.

"Aright, all right." The man caught the dice and rolled, subsequently winning the game twice in a row.

"You're cheating." Nikki, Derek, Johnny, Ava, and Bradin stated simultaneously as the Aussie whooped.

"Man, sore losers…" Jay laughed, taking cover from the storm of cushions that were suddenly flying at him.

The next day at school, Bradin had just gone out of class to get a drink when he ran into the girl again. This time she had on no noticeable lipstick, and she was wearing a Happy Bunny shirt. Her hair was down, and it looked a lot tamer without the accompanying makeup. Her boots were a lime green tint and she had simple blue jeans on. Today she looked almost normal.

"Hi…" Bradin greeted cautiously, silently considering what her mood was this hour.

"Ah, surfer boy." She smirked. "How are we doing today?"

"What are you doing out here?" he frowned.

She held out a note and waved it in his face. "I have to leave earlier. Dentist appointment. What about you? Playing hooky now?"

"It's called I was getting a drink." He said in irritation, brandishing his hall pass.

"Touché." She raised her eyebrows. "Had a bad day?"

"No, I guess you just have that effect on me." He answered edgily.

"Hey, I said I was sorry for being rude to you earlier." She said, perturbed.

"What did you say your name was?" he questioned.

"Kris." She said, taking two steps closer to him.

"Kris?" he repeated, raising his eyebrows.

"No, I didn't have a sex change operation, you dick, it's short for Kristina." She rolled her eyes.

"You can't go five minutes without insulting me, can you?" Bradin chuckled in amazement.

Cocking an eyebrow up, Kris closed the small gap between them and somewhat forcefully brought his face down to hers. Her lips slammed into his vigorously, one of her hands on his cheek and the other against his chest, just above his heart. All too soon she pulled back with a grin.

The words spilt out of his mouth before he could stop them. "That was only three." He gasped, and after inhaling another gulp of air he kissed her back with all the intensity she had done for him. When he needed to stop for air again, he caught the glint in her eye as she locked gazes with him and after her eyes gave him a quick once over, she pushed him into the closest room. Their lips furiously working, he could hear the slam of the door as she kicked it shut and before he knew what was happening, he was up against the wall and her hand had slipped under his shirt and she was softly running her fingers up his bare skin.

He felt her smile as her hands felt his defined stomach. "It's always nice to see that a guy cares enough to work out." She breathed, the smirk ever constant on her face.

Bradin smiled back but silenced her as he kissed her again. His hands caressed her back and he involuntarily shivered as he could feel her hand touch his own bare back. Her tongue searched, explored, tangled with his mouth and as her free hand combed through his hair, he couldn't help but let out a small groan. The rational part of his brain was wondering what the hell was going on, and he knew he should probably stop, but everything else, including a part of his anatomy that had suddenly become very, very alert, screamed at him to stop thinking and just do. It didn't feel like it was really his choice anyways, she was one assertive girl, and he was more than happy to go along.

She pulled back, a question in her eyes, and a moment later his shirt was laying on the floor and he had reversed positions with her, he was now leaning over her and she was pushed against the wall. He kissed her neck, her jaw, her collar bone… his hands gently resting on her waist. A beat passed and then she had shoved him back and after another heavy make out session, she smiled at him and turned around, walking out of the room, though not before she raked her eyes over his bare upper body once more. He was breathing hard and frowned in confusion as she left, dropping to the floor as the door clicked shut. What went through that girl's mind was a mystery.

Bradin was puzzled, okay he was completely lost. But the thing on his mind the most at the moment was why the hell did she have to leave at that moment? Releasing a sigh, he tried to ignore how the girl had made his body feel. Kris's kisses had pretty much made him feel like he hadn't ever had a proper kiss before. The teenager eventually managed to breathe evenly again and accepting that she actually did simply walk out on him, he struggled to his feet and put his shirt back on. A tiny part of his male ego was damaged by the thought that she could just walk out without a word when he had lost all thoughts of doing anything but touching her. Yeah, it was tough trying to see which of the two were more affected.


	3. Chapter 3

Bradin seriously didn't know what was wrong with him. Three days had passed and that had somehow equated to three more half to two hour make out sessions with Kris, each time getting more intense (though how that was humanly possible, Bradin had no idea), and each time ended suddenly by her. She always initiated, she always ended it. Bradin didn't like to think about it in this particular way, but she had him by the balls. Every time he saw her he had to remind himself how to breathe, and there was just no denying how turned on she made him.

The first few times she had gone over to him and kissed him, Bradin hadn't questioned it, what straight teenage male would? But as the fourth day came, their now familiar routine started taking place- two-thirty, at the beginning of her spare and his math class, they'd meet in the hallway outside of the always-unoccupied multi-purpose room. And then she'd shove him in the room and make him really not give a damn that he wasn't the one "wearing the pants" in the relationship. Today was different though, she pressed her lips against his and he pulled back. It was a forced action that went against everything he stood for, but he managed.

"What are we doing?" Bradin exhaled heavily.

"I thought that was obvious." She responded, her eyes dancing as she fingered his shirt collar, and then his neck, his jaw, his lips…

"We don't even know each other." He said pointedly, resisting the temptation to run his tongue over her fingers.

"Does that matter?" she raised her eyebrows and closed the gap that he had made, standing so close to him that they were touching. Her hand roamed up his shirt and played with his nipples, causing him to shudder and jolt back.

"Yes, yeah!" he exclaimed, trying to convince himself as well. "Of course it matters, I'm not the type of guy who'll-"

"Oh shut up." She commanded, slowly kissing him again, inserting her tongue into is mouth tantalizingly and then removing it in the same manner. She pulled back after a moment and played with his hair. Running a finger down his cheek, past his jawbone, and down his chest so that it was resting just below his belt (insert Bradin's moan here), she slowly told him, "You know what? You're right. We don't have to do this. I didn't think you minded. But we can talk. Yeah, get to know each other. That'd be better, like you said."

Damn her! Bradin grabbed her almost forcefully and hungrily crushed his lips against hers, his hands resting on her upper thigh and the wall. He felt her smile and knew it was a bit at his expense but all things rational went out of his head, hell he couldn't even string a thought together anymore. Her hands shifted to his shoulders and she gingerly, but strongly, pushed Bradin backwards onto a nearby table. He didn't need any other sign from her before he hopped on so that he was sitting on it. To his surprise, she followed suit, and hopped onto his lap.

She stood over him on the table and ordered, "Move back." Bradin obediently did as he was told. She swooped down onto his lap and kissed him before roughly shoving him down onto the table so that he was lying flat on his back. Kris kneeled down in a straddle around his hips. Her legs tightly around him, there was no doubt she felt what he had continuously hoped she didn't notice. His shirt was off again in a second (and Bradin realized how bloody cold the table was…) and she was kissing every part of his skin she could reach. Bradin's hands were resting on her sides but he automatically jerked them back when her shirt rode up just enough so that he was touching skin.

"You know, it's okay." She cocked her head, resting her hand on his.

"Hmmnugheler?" he croaked. She laughed and guided his hand under her shirt and up her back, laying a few kisses on him while doing so.

"Don't be shy, surfer boy." She breathed. And just when he thought he couldn't possibly get more breathlessthanhe was now, she ran her hand over his belt. "I don't know if you want to go that far-" she started, blinking in a would-be innocent way up at him. His hands had undone his belt before she could even finish the sentence. Where she had once been unbelievably fast, now her movements were slow and deliberate. Carefully, she eased the belt off of him and gave him a trail of kisses that led all the way down to his belly button. He had never known how slow a person could possibly take to undo a button before he met her, Bradin thought almost painfully.

"You are having way too much fun doing this to me." Bradin groaned as she gently inched his zipper down.

"Aren't you enjoying this?" she flashed him a smile that could have rendered him insane if she hadn't already driven him there. As she spoke, her hands stopped moving and she straightened.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Bradin desperately asked.

"Sorry baby, I've got to go. Your times up." Kris good-naturedly patted his cheek. She began to get off of him but Bradin's hands grabbed onto her wrists.

"Don't stop…" he pleaded, bringing his lips up to hers.

"Don't tell me what to do." She wagged her finger at him.

"You can't keep doing this to me." Bradin shut his eyes, reopening them to find her eyeing him with one of her many range of looks. "Kris. Don't go like this."

She only smiled at him and gently shook off his hands that were clasped around her. She took her sweet time sliding off of him though, one more device of torture she was using with glee on him with. With a plop, Kris landed back on the floor and as she sashayed sensually to the door, she paused just long enough to bend down and pick up his shirt, which had landed across the room from the table. With a flirtatious smile, she turned to face the blonde and threw him his shirt, winking before leaving the room.

Bradin collapsed down on the table and let out a frustrated sigh. He wasn't normally a guy who would just make out with a random girl; much less the type who'd go all the way with a girl he had just met. But when she was doing what she was, it was pretty much impossible for the teen not to want to move that tiny step further. She was driving him crazy.

* * *

"What's been with you?" Nikki asked, crossing her arms as Bradin hazily walked into the house.

"What do mean?" he rubbed his face, walked past Nikki, and splashed cold water on his face. He had been taking a few dips into the ocean right after school, as it was the closest to a cold shower he could get without people noticing what he was doing.

"Is grade twelve that bad?" Nikki raised her eyebrows. "You look like you've been through hell."

To heaven and hell and back again, repeatedly every single blasted day, Bradin thought. "Just not used to the course load."

"You know, I was talking to Erika-" she grinned. Bradin sensed where that grin was heading and gave her a look in anticipation of how she'd finish her sentence. "…So who is she?"

"Why are you gossiping about me?" Bradin sharply asked.

"So there is someone." The knowing look on her face now pushed his temper a little.

"Oh, go find Cam and leave me alone." He grumbled moodily.

"Girl problems?" she brightly asked. "You know, I am one. Maybe I can help?"

Yeah, he was going to confess to his kid sister that this girl he knew kept stringing him along and he was going off the wall not being able to go all the way with her. "Never mind, Nik." He stated very firmly. "It's nothing you could exactly help with."

"Why not?" she frowned.

"I've got a hunch." Jay lowly muttered as he strode up behind the pair. "Hey, Bradin, I was wondering if you'd have time to clock in a few hours at the shop. I've got an errand to run right now, and I just came back to see if you were busy."

"Nah, I can probably do it." Bradin nodded, grateful to be excused from Nikki's probing.

"Great. See you later, kiddo." Jay smiled at Nikki, then slung his arm around Bradin's shoulders and led him out the door. Once Nikki was out of earshot, the man raised his eyebrows and said, "From the way you've been looking lately, I think Nikki's right about you having girl problems. And if you couldn't tell her…"

"It's called I like to keep my private life private." Bradin pointedly told him. But he thought about it and weighed his options. Jay was the master, if anyone could help Bradin, it'd be Jay. "Okay, fine. So I'm completely confused. There's this girl…" And Bradin laid out the story with vague details.

"You've known her for four days." Jay flatly said.

"Yeah. And it's not even like we've even hung out or talked much at all in that time frame." Bradin said.

"And you expect her to sleep with you after four days?" Jay crossed his arms.

"Hey, she's the one initiating all this!" Bradin protested.

"Yeah, so let her do this on her terms." Jay shrugged. "It looks like you've seriously given her all the power in whatever thing you've got going on. You've let her do whatever she wants so now you're just going to have to deal with your decisions."

"What?" he frowned.

"Okay, to put it simply mate, you've let her make you her bitch." Jay smirked. "She's doing whatever she wants, whenever she wants with you, and she'll begin or end it when she feels like it. You've got no say because you've already been more than happy to let her make all the shots. In short, you're her bitch."

"That is such a demeaning-" Bradin shook his head. He paused to think about it and as the words sunk in, he blinked in awe. "Damn it. You're right."

"Yes, yes I am." He nodded. "What can you do about it? Enjoy the ride, my friend, enjoy the ride. Do you have a problem with what's happening?"

"Yeah, _no_," Bradin snorted.

"Then do what she wants, ride it through, and enjoy this. Not a lot of girls will do this," Jay said. Yeah, no shit. "So just take the opportunity. It's not often a girl doesn't seem to care about anything but the action."

"But what if I do?" Bradin sighed.

"That's what other relationships are about. Just see this little tryst out until either of you get bored, and move on. From what you've told me, it doesn't look like she'll care what you do." He grinned.

"Spoken like a true player." Bradin shook his head.

"Believe me when I say I know when I'm right. And your girl here seems to be a right player herself. Now, I wasn't kidding about my shop. Here are the keys, don't lose them, don't mess up the store, I'll be back in two hours and I'll kick your ass if anything happens." Jay said.

"I've looked after it before, you paranoid person." Bradin rolled his eyes. "I doubt I'll use your advice, but hey, it's nice to hear something. I'll see you later."

"Bye," Jay nodded, and walked off. Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Bradin strode quickly to the surf shop and tried not to think about Kris. No doubt he wasn't on _her_ mind at all.

* * *

A/N: In case you were wondering, there WILL be more than just mindless make out sessions. Eventually. Sometime. Ha ha. Thanks for reviewing! 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I know I'm getting really really bad with the whole updating thing, I hope you guys like this and thanks for reviewing!

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Bradin was having difficulty concentrating in classes the next day. Well, he'd been a bit distracted since his Kris encounters began, but the fact that they had gone so close yesterday made his brain able to think of nothing else but when two thirty would friggin come. He smiled at his friends at lunch and kept up conversations but all the while, his eyes scanned the crowd for the girl. On his way to class after lunch, he spotted her in the hallway and tried to give a smile and a wave, and he knew she saw him, but she didn't acknowledge him at all.

"Hey, are you all right?" one of Bradin's friends, Ryan, fellow school heartthrob, asked.

"Yeah," Bradin shrugged.

The brunette glanced at what Bradin was looking at and gave him a light nudge on the shoulder. "Into the violet-haired vixen?"

"What?" Bradin tore himself away and looked at his friend.

"Is that who you're looking at?" Ryan questioned.

"Possibly, why?" Bradin retorted, a bit uneasily.

"She's a total…" he began.

"What?" Bradin frowned.

"Crap, the bell's about to go, if I'm late again I'm screwed!" Ryan exclaimed. "I'll catch up with you later." Bradin watched him dart to class with a look of curiosity. He wondered how many guys she was 'getting acquainted' with. Bradin had the feeling that she didn't have a problem lip locking with several guys at once. The thoughts didn't last long as a teacher walked up behind up and gave him a warning to go to class or he'd soon be late.

That next period felt like the longest in Bradin's history. He had actually become convinced that his watch was broken, until he saw the classroom clock ticking at the same agonizing rate.

"She really knows how to bore people to death." A new girl Bradin hadn't talked to before whispered to him. Bradin gave her a small smile. She was pretty and had curly blonde hair and the deepest brown eyes he had ever seen. She was one of the traditionally pretty girls Bradin had brushed off. "I'm new. My name's Ellen Eversman."

"Bradin Westerly. Nice to meet you." He politely answered.

"I know who you are." She grinned back. "I've seen you surf out there and it's amazing. I'm a surfer too but I just began a few weeks ago."

"Oh, thanks. I've only been at it for a year. It won't take long to catch on to it, especially if you enjoy it." Bradin instantly perked up upon the mention of surfing.

"I love it so far, but it's been hard for me. My instructor isn't very patient." She was eyeing him with a very interested look.

"That's too bad. Just believe in yourself and you'll do fine. Listen to their criticism only if you can use it to get better. If you can't, drop it, because it'll only bring you down." He advised.

"Thanks for the advice," she smiled. "So, what class do you have next?"

Making out with a hot girl in an empty classroom, you? "Oh…" he wasn't eager to tell her, lest someone notice that he had skipped out on math for four straight days.

"I think you're in my math class. With Berkley?" Ellen said. Bradin was getting the feeling that she had been watching him. "But I'm not sure because I saw you there once and then you sort of just disappeared."

"There's probably a perfectly good explanation for that, but I've got to go. Nice meeting you, though, Ellen." Bradin quickly said as the clock struck the half way mark. His books were already gathered in his arms by the time the teacher dismissed them and Bradin practically ran in front of the room they normally met at.

"Excited, I see." The voice that almost always sounded amused and sarcastic quietly spoke. For her convenience, the room where they met was situated just across the hall from the classroom she was in before this. Kris strode towards him and bent to take a drink from the water fountain. Then, she crouched down with the pretext of tying her shoe until the hallway had emptied completely. She straightened and with a sly smile, she stood in front of him. "You look a bit antsy, surfer boy." Reaching out and playing with a strand of his hair beside his ear, she searched his eyes and said, "I hope it's not because of me." For the first time, Bradin really noticed that her eyes matched his own and were a stunning vivid green.

"You know it is." He could barely breathe.

"That's sweet in a horny, sex-obsessed way." She withdrew her hand and flipped her hair back. He noticed that it was cut.

"I like your hair." He said. It was layered now, and curved to her chest where once it had gone to just above her hips.

"We've been through this." She laughed.

Bradin got flustered. "No… I, what I meant was I like how you've got it cut."

"Oh, good boy. You noticed." She clapped softly and wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him.

"Of course I noticed." He said. "It looks good on you. Then again, a hat made out of Popsicle sticks would look good on you."

"Thanks." She looked almost suspicious at the compliment, and for a moment a wary look flickered in her eyes. Brushing it off, her face became neutral again as she pressed against Bradin and said, "Anyways, let's get this show on the road."

Into the room, closing the door, and lying spread eagled on the table at the front of the room, Bradin had to admit this was a pretty sweet arrangement he had going for him.

Unfortunately for Bradin, just when the two were really getting into it, he felt Kris's entire body stiffen. In a moment she had pushed him off of her and muttered, "Shit."

"What?" Bradin asked in confusion.

"Someone's coming." Kris answered.

"SHIT!" he echoed, "What do we do? If they find us-"

"Stop freaking out, surfer boy." She shook her head and wrapped her hand around his wrist, briskly dragging him towards the other end of the room. "Don't tell me you've never been in this situation a million times before."

"Actually I haven't-" he protested.

Kris ignored him and briefly inspected the small window in which she had dragged him in front of. It was open less than halfway and wouldn't budge open even a fraction more. In a moment, the girl had carefully and swiftly swept herself under so that she was outside. Taking a moment to marvel at her agility and flexibility, not to mention how thin she must've been, Bradin realized she was giving him a pointed look.

"I can't fit under that," he answered to the look. "Not a chance. Look, it's fine, just go, leave before they get here, I'll be okay."

Kris rolled her eyes and snapped, "Don't be such a ridiculous moron." She slipped back into the room and after scanning around for a moment she grabbed her backpack, which was flung by the door, and grabbed a textbook.

She quickly slipped into a desk and flung it open. Upon seeing Bradin looking like a goldfish beside her, she let out an exasperated groan and pulled him into the seat next to her.

"I don't have a-" he started.

"You're so stupid sometimes-" she interrupted him and threw another textbook that had been in her bag at him. "Don't just stare at me, open it!" She quickly adjusted her shirt and smoothed out her hair, shooting a look at Bradin telling him to do the same.

Her eyes darted back to the textbook laying open on her desk not a moment too soon, for just then whoever was behind the door finally got it open and walked in.

"Oh- I thought this room was empty." A surprised male teacher gasped upon seeing the pair. "What are you two doing in here?"

"Study hall was really hard to concentrate in, so I thought I'd get more work done in a nice, empty and more importantly, quiet, classroom." Kris smiled.

"And you?" the man suspiciously looked at Bradin.

"He couldn't focus either, and since he's actually someone who wanted to study in study hall, I invited him to come here too." She answered breezily. "I hope that's all right, sir."

"No, it's fine, just next time you would do better with getting a teacher here to supervise, I'm sure someone wouldn't mind." The teacher said a bit reprovingly, though he seemed to accept the excuse.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know that was necessary. I'm new, you see, and we were allowed to go where we wanted during study hall in my old school." Kris apologized. "Should we leave?"

"Class is half over, anyways." The man waved away her apology. "I'll just grab my binder that I left here and leave you to study. You should really get acquainted with the rules soon, though. I wouldn't want you to get into trouble." The last words were said while he narrowed his eyes, but he didn't even give the two detentions or even a real warning. He grabbed a little black binder from the desk and walked out the door, giving the two a last look before shutting it again.

"I can't believe you covered for me!" Bradin's tone was incredulous.

"What, you thought I'd just leave you in here? What kind of a person do you think I am?" she crossed her arms, though the tips of her lips had quirked.

"I'm sorry, I just thought you might be thinking along the lines of every person for themselves." He said and shrugged. "I really sort of panicked, if they had caught us making out in here and skipping class we would've been roasted."

"Have you seriously not had to deal with this before?" she cocked her eyebrow in disbelief.

"Contrary to what you look like you're thinking, I don't normally cut class to make out with girls. Excuse me if my expertise at hiding out from a teacher while doing said activity isn't as great as years." He raised his own eyebrows. "How did you act so calm?"

"I guess you could say I've had a lot of experience." She smiled, confirming his thoughts.

"Thanks, really, for not ditching me and for saving me from stuttering like a moron in front of that teacher." Bradin sincerely told her.

"Don't worry about it." She lifted one shoulder up in a half shrug and stood up, proceeding to walk towards the door.

"What are you doing? We have half a period left." Bradin frowned, leaping out and following her as she stuffed her textbooks back in her backpack and opened the door.

"Yeah, and now people know we're in here." She pointed out.

"So we're done?" the frustration and disappointment was so evident in his voice that she let out a laugh.

"We can't do it in there, surfer boy." She chortled, starting to walk off in that distinctive slight swagger of hers. It was a very confident slightly fiery stride that made it seem like she thought she owned the place.

Bradin wasn't waiting another day. He snatched her arm and evenly said, "If we can't go in there, why not pick another place?" He opened a door and pulled her inside it.

"Oh good Lord. This is the custodian's closet, isn't it." She snorted. "How cheesy could you get-"

But Bradin cut her off with a heavy kiss and in a few minutes they were on the ground and he was on top of her. He was sick of waiting and his body seriously couldn't take it anymore and he was adamantly refusing to let her take control. Another moment and he had lost the battle, she had shoved him off and pushed herself so that she had the upper hand and had quickly worked off his shirt, slipped out of her own shirt, and undid his belt all the while kissing him hungrily. Bradin was lightly sucking on her ear lobe as her hands grazed his skin. _Yes_. Bradin thought, the anticipation, the desire; it was all about to peak-

…And that was when Kris chose to pull away.

"No…!" he let out a frustrated moan.

She gripped his arms strongly so that he couldn't continue kissing her and said, "Stop. Before we go anywhere, you do have protection, right?" She stroked his neck and wasn't looking at his face, busying herself with teasing him as much as humanely possible with her hands.

"N-no, I wasn't expecting, I normally don't bring any to school-" Bradin wanted to slap himself.

"What!" she exclaimed. "You've got to be kidding. What were you planning to do then? I'm not having sex with you without protection. There's not a chance in hell that I'd get pregnant just so you could have an hour of fun."

"Of course not." Bradin was resigned and seriously kicking himself. "I would never-"

"Oh whatever, you were all set a second ago. The thought didn't even cross your mind, did it?" she looked at him a little peevishly.

"I'm sorry." Bradin hung his head. "Normally I'm prepared."

"Trust a guy to bring protection. Trust a guy to be the one responsible for not ruining a woman's life. It's stupid, really, honestly- the guy's supposed to do that but you know you can't rely on them, if you do you will end up preggers because it's your ass that's going to suffer not theirs if they forget." She rolled her eyes and reached a hand into her back pocket. Taking out a little packet, she continued on wryly, meeting his eyes, "And this is why I have to do it. If the women didn't we'd be overpopulated and you wouldn't be getting any."

"You've got some?" he said.

"If it were up to you I'm sure you'd be a dad multiple times over by now." She snorted.

"…You actually carry around condoms in your back pocket?" he said in amazement. "Like, with you at all times?"

"Yeah because I unlike you am responsible and actually give a rats ass about my future." She worked at opening the packet. "While we're on the topic, do you have a STI? Lie to me now and I will fucking rip off your balls and strangle you with them."

"Of course I don't!" he shot back indignantly.

"Good. Neither do I." She said as if they were talking about the weather.

"And you're sure?" he raised an eyebrow, the fact that she did this often enough to carry protection with her at all times made him a teensy bit worried.

"I have a PAP every month." She snapped, a bit pissed at his wariness. "When was your last?"

Bradin thought for a moment. "A few months ago."

"How active have you been in that time span?" she eyed him.

"Not active." He stuck out his jaw. "Hey, you're supposed to have one once a year so don't get all paranoid-"

"You are so lying." She rolled her eyes but pushed Bradin against the wall, glancing down for moment. "You're friend down there is getting antsy."

"I swear to you, I don't have an STI." Bradin told her. "I would never knowingly do that to anyone."

"All right. I trust you, surfer boy." A smile sprung up on her lips and her mouth encased over his, the remaining clothes on their heated bodies falling away gently as time melted together and faded out.

* * *

The single best intimate encounter Bradin Westerly had ever had. And it was in a Janitor's closet, beside a puke bin and Vim. 


	5. Chapter 5

That afternoon in the custodian's closet had put a grin on Bradin's face that lasted all day. He was tired after it and thoroughly satisfied like he had never been before. Say what you will about Kris but she knew exactly what she was doing. Which did slightly unsettle him a bit, but not for long. Sarah was nothing in comparison, and Callie couldn't hold a candle.

The two days afterwards had been much the same, yet somehow she had managed to up the notch each time. Bradin was highly anticipating his next meeting with her and practically skipped into the hallway when third period ended. He leaned against the wall in the hallway and waited.

After ten minutes, a frown was beginning to form on the blonde's features. Kris wasn't there and it was getting clearer that she wasn't going to come. He knew she had study hall and so he jogged over to the room to see what was keeping her.

To his astonishment he saw her poring over a textbook. She couldn't have forgotten… Bradin gaped through the window on the door and tried to get her attention by knocking on the door. She didn't look up. Another ten minutes later and the teacher was giving him the death glare to go away so he sighed and turned from the door.

The next day passed and she again didn't show up. Bradin was sincerely confused now. She wouldn't even acknowledge him.

After school, he stalked over to her locker and demanded, "Where have you been?" She looked up and blinked quizzically. "Where have you been in last period?"

"…Study hall?" she answered, raising her eyebrows as if he was being stupid.

Bradin frowned. "Why haven't you been coming to meet me?"

"What are you talking about?" she finished stuffing her things in her locker and adjusted her backpack before finally meeting him in the eyes.

"Kris-" he started.

"Look, surfer boy, what do you want? I slept with you already, didn't I?" she impatiently tapped her foot against the floor.

"I just, you-" he spluttered. "I didn't know anything was over."

"Well, it's over." She deadpanned, trying to sidestep him.

"Wait." He blocked her path and his face was contorting angrily, "You can't just say it's over just like that!"

"Why not?" she exhaled loudly. "It's not like I led you on in any way shape or form. We slept together a few times, and now we don't. It's not very complicated."

"Why don't we anymore?" he said.

"It was fun, but that's all it was," Kris frowned at him.

"It's only been a week-" he exclaimed.

"A week is average." She shrugged.

Bradin was having a hard time grasping the fact that he had just been dropped. "What if I don't want this to end?"

"Surfer boy, I made it very clear what this was, didn't I?" she sighed. "I didn't lead you to believe I wanted to date you. I'm sorry if you're hurt."

"Kris, I want to be with you." He stated.

"You can find a lot of other girls-" she rolled her eyes.

"There isn't anyone like you." Bradin shook his head.

"I have to go, Surfer boy." She shifted uncomfortably and moved past him.

"You don't even know my name, do you?" he asked incredulously as he realized the truth in his words.

"You never cared to tell me." She said defensively, though she did look a bit guilty.

"I'm Bradin Westerly, in case you were wondering." He was bitter now and in disgusted amazement that anyone would sleep with someone when they didn't even know their name.

"I'm sorry," she looked down. He closed the gap between them and kissed her fiercely.

"I don't want this to end." He stated again.

The next day, Bradin pulled her aside as she walked in the halls between third and fourth period and pressed his lips to hers. She grinned through the kiss.

"You're very persistent, aren't you?" she laughed and kissed him back. Their routine was back.

As a fortnight passed, the school opening dance was soon upon them and Bradin didn't hesitate to accept when the girl from his third period History class, Ellen, shyly asked him to go with her. He had been talking with her everyday and she was really sweet, and quite pretty. Bradin didn't think twice about it. He had a great time and sincerely liked Ellen, and he was even thinking about asking her out again.

That was until the day after the dance. Bradin pulled Kris aside again as per usual but this time she violently shook off his arm and elbowed him in the stomach before walking in the opposite direction.

"What's your problem?" he gasped, catching up with her.

"What's my problem?" she clenched her jaw. "I heard you and Ellen Eversman had a wicked time at the dance last night."

"Yeah, what's that to you?" Bradin frowned in confusion, "I didn't think you cared."

"I knew it." She shook her head.

"Knew what? I don't see why you'd be upset, we're not dating or anything." He pointed out.

"I'm just your fuck buddy." She stated angrily.

"You said it yourself that you didn't want to be anything else, this is just physical! You were the one who told me that." Bradin exclaimed.

"Yeah and I also tried to break it off but you told me you wanted to be with me." She spat out. "You told me that you didn't want it to end."

"Kris, I didn't want it to end." He said, taking her hand. She punched him hard in the face and backed away.

"What you wanted was to be able to have a girl sleeping with you everyday while you were free to date any other girl at the same time." She said lowly. "I'm not like that and I won't let you do disrespect women like that. That's low."

"Excuse me, this is like the pot calling the kettle black. How many guys were you sleeping with while you were with me? One for first period, one in second, one at lunch, and one in third?" he crossed his arms.

"None. NONE." Kris answered icily, though a little hurt. "I would never do that. That's sick. I can't believe you thought that of me. Tell me, what other conceptions do you have?"

"Don't act all hurt now, it's not like you haven't slept with who knows how many guys. You probably lost your virginity at thirteen." Bradin snapped.

"You are such a bastard." Her jaw was tight and her hands balled into fists but she didn't hit him or make any contact with him at all. Instead, she simply shook her head and began to walk away. "I'm not the prostitute you seem to think I am. You know nothing about me, Westerly. Not a freaking thing. So don't make fucking assumptions. I hope you go to hell."

"I never led you to believe we were exclusive or dating or anything at all." Bradin called after her.

"No, no you didn't." she quietly muttered. "It was my mistake."

Kristina was pissed as hell. The nerve of that jackass Westerly! No one had done that to her since… The point was, it didn't happen. She never let it happen. She always broke things off quickly to prevent these things from occurring. Her philosophy was to use them before they can use her. She should have ignored Westerly and broke it off. She shouldn't have been upset about him being with Ellen. He thought they were on the same page. And maybe they were. But Kris suddenly realized that after all this time, she had been fooling herself. She was still being used. Except she was now readily speeding up the process. She dropped him angrily that day after realizing that he was viewing and using her like she was an object. Something without feelings, something that could be easily discarded. But the fact was, she was always seen as an object. She was just too damn stubborn to see it.

No one knew about her past. No one asked. Not one of the countless boys she had been with in the last five months had ever wanted to know anything about her. She let them think that she had always been like this. That she was some slut who gave it out to everyone.

Bradin Westerly should not have been any different. It wasn't that she particularly cared for him, the only thing the two did was banter and sleep together, and it wasn't like she even really knew him. But he was the only one of the guys she had been with who had protested to the fact that she didn't know their name. Oh, most of them protested when they got wind of the fact that she didn't want to sleep with them anymore, but none had said in that hurt, accusing way, 'You don't even know my name, do you?' It was a significant thing in her eyes. It showed that he wanted something emotional, that he wasn't going to let her just stop. He didn't want her to use him like that. At least, that was what she had thought.

She had somehow interpreted that information into the fact that oh, maybe this one wants something else. Or at least, this one is nicer than the others. Than he had to do the guy thing and go out with someone else. Again, she didn't think what he did was that horrible, it was the natural thing to do given their situation, but it made her realize so many things. She couldn't do this anymore. This pretending, this acting. This wasn't who she once was; this wasn't who she wanted to be. She was so scared of getting hurt again that she turned herself into this person she hated to see in the mirror. Stupid fucking Westerly… Stupid horrible evil bastardly fucking Naden. It was all his blasted fault.

The next day, Bradin tried to talk to Kris. Who promptly turned around and stomped off. Bradin had been feeling just a bit on the guilty side and had broken it off with Erin. He figured this would patch things up quickly…

"Don't you get it? It's the PRINCIPLE of the freaking matter!" she yelled at him as he tentatively tried to tell her that he had ended things.

"Look, I have no idea what you want from me-" he sighed.

"I know you don't." she looked down. "But whatever. I don't know you and you don't know me, let's just forgot all this and just act like we're strangers."

"That's not right, not after the fact that I've kind of-" Bradin started.

"Oh shut up, you saw me unclothed, that doesn't mean shit. You know nothing about me, and I'm fine keeping it that way. Go away." she grumbled.

"You change your mind so quickly! I thought you wanted to be in a relationship with me-" he moaned.

"No, I didn't want you dating some girl while simultaneously sleeping with me, that's just immoral. You're not that good-looking, and really just average in the sack, not to mention a prick, and apparently not that bright either. So do me a favour and go find another twit to mess with." Kris grit her teeth and pushed past him.

Male ego dented, Bradin watched her go in exasperation. He couldn't do anything right these days and he was really over the whole pissed girl needs apologizing to and comforting of. He thought she wasn't one of those girls, but she was teetering on the edge of that line. Damn crazy, that's what Kris was. Bradin sighed and began thinking of ways to get her to forgive him. He was in now and he couldn't just walk out as if nothing happened. She had given him his first physical-only one night stand type relationship and he'd leave it at that if she hadn't freaked out at him earlier. There was more to this, and he was determined to figure out what it was.

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A/N: Thanks for reviewing, sorry about the lengthy time frame between updates, sorry if this seems rushed, I love you guys and I hope this was all right. 


	6. Chapter 6

Kris quickly began to see what Bradin Westerly would do to get what he wanted. For the following two weeks since she snapped and broke off all ties with him, he had suddenly become her stalker. He was always there! At her locker morning, noon, and after school. A few feet behind her in the hallways, behind her in the lunch line, sitting at the next table in the cafeteria, and always popping up near her classrooms. It didn't take long for her to get really annoyed, really fast. It only took one week for her to finally whip around and demand that he not talk to her anymore. Of course, Bradin took her demand to heart and only fixed her with a silent gaze now as he followed her like a puppy.

"Westerly. For the love of all that's human, you're worse than anyone else I've moved on from. We weren't dating, and I don't actually like you. And you can't honestly say you like me either. So stop following me. Even you must have more dignity than that." She said evenly on the second Thursday since he'd started stalking her two weeks ago.

"I do like you." He sidestepped in front of her. "Why else do you think I'd be doing this? As for the dignity thing, I don't normally give up. I don't mean easily, I mean at all. And seriously, I don't need to worry about people thinking I'm a loser- I'd welcome it, but it's like I'm untouchable. I don't care what the think anyways. If I have to prove to you that I'm sorry, I'll do what it takes."

"Firstly, you can't like someone you don't know." Kris told him bluntly. "Secondly, could you get any more conceited? And finally, I know you're sorry. I don't need the creepy following act to prove that. That isn't the part I care about. I stayed with you longer than I should have, and you're little thing with Eva or whatever just showed me what I already knew."

"Kris-" he started.

"Look. I don't like you like that and I never did. Can't you just accept that it was just sex?" Kris sighed wearily.

"You may believe I'm acting like a chick who's been dropped after a worthless physical-only relationship, but I actually do care about you-"

"You care about not getting to touch these for the rest of your living years." She interrupted, pointing at her chest.

"Could you stop saying that? It's not true." He protested.

"Fine. Why do you want to be with me so bad then? We never went out, all we ever did was make out and all that. We barely even talked." She raised her eyebrows. "If you care about me and that shit, tell me something that you know about me. Something real. Because I sure as hell can't say a thing about you. I didn't even know your name when we messed around, okay?" Kris glared.

"What if I want to get to know you? I don't know much now except that you completely hate commitment. And that you're the most interesting, most down-to-earth person I've ever known. You speak your mind, and I love that. Really, you're probably wittier and far more colourful than all the girls in the school combined." Bradin answered, staring her right back.

"All the girls in this crappy town are Barbie beach bubble heads. Excuse me if I don't take your words as groundbreaking." She muttered.

"All right. Let's start there. Why do you hate Playa Linda so much?" Bradin questioned, leaning against a locker.

"It's boring, too sunny, too bay-watch esque. People walk around in swim suits and it's all pretty much one lame soap opera." She said.

"Do you miss your home?" he pushed further.

"No." Kris answered shortly.

"Why?"

"I'm not like you. I'm not the Golden girl who's most popular, who's lived here forever and lives to be in the water. I can barely swim, and I can't stand you shallow guys at all. Which is probably why I get so physically involved with your types… so I can end it and show you what it's like." She said, with a very small dose of bitterness in her voice.

"Like me? You just said you don't know who I am. And yet you're here, assuming that I've had a perfect life. I just moved here last year-which I know I've already told you, but obviously you don't care enough to remember. I was a farm boy who played football, had never even touched a surf board, knew all of six people here, and pretty much hated everyone involved for dragging me from my home." Bradin was getting pissed. "Of course, I, unlike you, got over my self. I met new people, tried out surfing, and wow actually was half decent to people who tried to talk to me."

"In other words, you assimilated." She said crossly. "Gave up, stopped fighting it, and joined the majority to become the natural beach boy you are today."

"And you're just going to sulk until you leave Playa Linda?" Bradin snapped. "I had no choice. I had little left back home, and I wouldn't make things a hell for my family. Not for the ones I loved."

"I knew it. You're one of those guys who does chores every day, helping your little brother with his homework, lecturing your little sister about boys," Kris snorted.

"What's so laughable about that?" he spat out, anger building up in his eyes.

"Nothing." She said. "Look, just stay out of my life."

"I don't get you." He yelled.

"I don't want you to." Kris told him quietly.

"Why? Why are you so closed?"

"I'm a freak. A whore. A slut. A bitch. Choose the adjective of your choice. That's why." Kris said.

"No, you're fucking not. That's what I don't get. Don't call yourself those things!" he grabbed her shoulders.

"They're just words, Bradin. Nothing more." She shook her head. "I don't care."

"But I do. You keep saying those things and one day you might believe them. But you're just you, you're Kris. And people call you those things when you don't give them what they want. If you call yourself those things too, you're agreeing with them. You're amazing. Don't listen to them." There was almost a desperate edge to his voice.

"Blah, blah, blah. Just words. Amazing, beautiful, disgusting, horrible. They're just words. And they don't mean anything to me. If you don't give a shit about what people think of you, the words are powerless. Everyone's words are powerless. That's what you should understand, Westerly. That's what you need to understand. Someone insults me, no matter with what words, I won't let it get to me. If they do to you, you'd be thinking about it all day, wondering if they're right." She said.

"There's a line between being cool enough with yourself to not take insults to heart and having been told such things so many times that they no longer have affect. Accepting and ignoring what people say, moving on, that could be interpreted as strong, as brave. Or you could say you're just too tired. You're the one giving up."

"Give it up, Westerly. Find another girl." She exhaled and shook his hands off her, trying to stride away.

"Why don't you want to go out with me?" Bradin finally asked point-blank.

"I don't do the dating thing." Kris replied with a shrug.

"Why?"

"What, is it so impossible for a girl to want the noncommittal sex only thing that guys seem to have a grant for?" she said in frustration. "No one questions this much when a guy wants it, they see it for it is. Get over yourself, Bradin, I don't want to be with you. I don't want you."

"Was I that bad?" he cracked a smile.

"Not as bad as some, but I'd be lying if I said you did much for me." She said.

"You did-like it- didn't you?"

"Insecure?" Kris smirked. "Okay, you knew where everything was and the basics of what to do with it, but you didn't really utilize a lot of the things we could've done. It's clear to me that you're not the most experienced."

"Kris, maybe you haven't figured this out yet, but I've never been in a relationship like this before. I've never slept with a girl I didn't seriously like, and for the most part, love. And after I slept with them, I never once broke it off the next day. I'm not that kind of guy, whether or not you see this as being a pansy is up to you."

"Really? Well, maybe you didn't leave them the next day. Word around a few circles is that you broke a chick named Callie's heart. Pressured her to sleep with you, and then didn't want to do anything but. And when she backed away, wanting to do more than just sex, you got testy." Kris innocently pointed out.

"I have no idea how you got a hole of that information, but I didn't mean to pressure her, we both wanted it. And I didn't mean to make her feel like that was all I wanted, because I loved her, I just let my hormones take over for a time…" Bradin looked away. It looked like this was a soft spot.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me." She said.

"No, you don't care, right?" Bradin shook his head. He sounded almost resigned.

"Giving up now, Westerly?" Kris said lightly.

"I don't want to." He said softly. "I'll be honest, I've never had a girl say no. And no, and no, and fuck off you loser. I guess I did get conceited. Thought I could win over the one girl who sees through the dating bullshit. You're the one person who could challenge me, who could make me so pissed off yet at the same time still wanting you. You're real. And that's one thing I can't do, I can't convince you to go out with a fake like me. But this isn't me giving up, Kris. I don't want to smother you so much that you almost break my nose again, to hang around so much that you get annoyed enough to just go out with me so I'll shut up. I'll still be here if one day you decide to give me a chance, an actual one that you want as much as I do."

"Nice little speech." She said. But almost instantly after, she added, "Sorry. Couldn't help myself. Look, Bradin, don't think I'm so great; don't think I'm such a wonderful person. I'm not."

"Yeah, you are. You don't lie, you're always yourself and you don't care where that takes you. You're right not to be with me, I'm not good enough for you yet." Bradin breathed.

"Don't put people on pedestals, Bray." She murmured. "All it does is make it that much harder for everyone involved when they inevitably fall."

He looked so sad right then, she broke her ice for a minute and quietly, sweetly wrapped her fingers loosely around his and kissed his cheek very lightly. Then she let go, pulled back, and walked away, adding as she left, "If you're actually gonna wait for me to change my mind, don't hold your breath Surfer Boy."

Bradin watched her leave, uncertain as he always seemed to be.

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A/n: My computer broke, sorry about the lengthy delay. Hope you liked this chapter. Thanks for the kind words, it was actually the reviews that guilted me into updating as soon as my new pc came.


	7. Chapter 7

Bradin managed to back off. For a whole of three days. He always knew he was impatient when it came to wooing. He couldn't stand doing nothing when there was so much he could be attempting to get her to pay attention to him. Bradin normally got what he wanted but he had known a few rejections… they hadn't remained rejections for long, though. And he'd be damned if he let this one be the exception.

This line of thinking led Bradin to the front porch of Kris's house. It was Saturday afternoon, and he had just woken up an hour or so ago. He had woken up that day and had just felt that he should give it one more go before letting her have her space. His (ahem) interesting dream last night had only succeeded in prodding him to his state of finality of the matter.

Thinking back on the dream made him smirk, blush, and feel like he was violating something. It was a dream that had warranted serious cold-shower usage when he woke up… It actually was reminiscent of a dream he'd had for Sara once.

He had been lying on his bed, doing homework late into the night. The house was completely silent and a small lamp on his bedside was the only source of light in the entire house. He was slowly nodding off (the clock had read 3 AM, after all). He had closed his eyes for only a few seconds when a voice spoke from behind him.

"Diligent, hard-working little student, aren't you?" Kris's familiar voice smiled. Bradin jerked awake and turned around. Not believing his eyes, he rubbed them a bit, trying to shake out the sleep. She chuckled lightly and waved her hand in front of his face. "Westerly?"

"Kris, what are you doing here?" he managed to gasp out, his eyes trying very hard not to scan over her body. She was wearing wings on her back, black wings. She had on a very short black skirt and a corset-like top, which hung so low that little was left to the imagination. Her lips were painted black, her eyes smoky, and she looked a bit like an Angel of Death.

"I came to see you," Kris softly said. "Isn't that obvious?"

"You're mad at me." He stated, in confusion.

"Not anymore." She shook her head lightly. A devilish smile lit her face. "I want you, Bradin."

"Excuse me?" Bradin choked.

"Shhh." She came over to the bed and straddled him. Her arms wrapped themselves around his neck and she kissed him gently. Their lips crushed against each other fiercely as she slid her cold fingers under his shirt. She worked his shirt off, then placed his hands on her corset, helping him to remove it.

Let's just say the next part delved deeply into the confines of all thoughts of a straight male. The deepest fantasies, the sharpest pleasure…

When they went a few rounds, Kris was sprawled across his chest, her fingers lightly tracing his upper body.

"I really like you." Bradin said.

Her entire demeanor changed. Her face clouded over, and her wings wilted. Placing one kiss on his lips, she pushed herself off of him. He grabbed her arms in an attempt to stop her.

"Wait, Kris-" he exclaimed.

She smiled sweetly at him, and she faded away to nothing, leaving Bradin grasping at nothing.

He awoke at this point, in a dead sweat.

Which brings us back to reality. Bradin knocked on the door. A middle-aged woman appeared and smiled at him.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"Hi, I'm Bradin Westerly, and I'm here to see Kris?" he politely greeted.

"Kris?" a slight frown of confusion crossed her features and for a spilt second he thought that he had gotten the wrong house. But then recognition appeared. "You must mean Kristina. I'm sorry, I've just never heard her called that before." Bradin found this hard to believe, considering she had introduced herself to everyone at the school as Kris, to the point where the name Kristina held no relevance to him. "She isn't here right now, I'm afraid."

"Oh. Do you have any idea when she'll be back?" he asked.

"I'm not sure." The woman sounded very apologetic.

"Oh, all right. May you please tell her I came to see her?" he questioned.

"I'm sure she won't be long, why don't you come in and wait for her?" the woman hastily suggested, moving aside to let the blonde in. Bradin smiled and walked through the door. "It's such an odd thing. My Kristina used to have so many people coming over to our house before we moved. Now, no one visits. It's so good to see that she's opening up again. She hasn't had boyfriends come over in ages."

"I'm not sure I'm exactly that," he admitted.

"Don't worry. It's taken her a very long time, but she'll see that you aren't Seth." The woman was babbling. Before he could ask who Seth was, she said, "Now, why don't you just wait for her in her room. I've got cleaning to do in the living room, I'm afraid."

"That's not a problem." He said.

"Good. Her room is right over here." She led him to a door by the backyard on the first floor.

"She won't mind if I'm in there, will she?"

"No, of course not. Nothing to hide in there, and Kristina's always been open." The woman shook her head, opened the door for him, and bustled off to clean.

Bradin hesitated. It didn't feel right to just go into her room without her permission. He finally decided that it couldn't do much harm. After all, Kris was always straightforward about herself, he doubted there would be anything in her room which could surprise him.

He was wrong. Walking into the room, he was met with soft yellow walls, one of which was plastered with photos. Upon closer inspection, they were pictures of people, presumably her old friends. The photos of Kris herself blew him away. She looked so happy, so different. Her hair wasn't dyed, but a dark brown. Her lips were painted with light red lipstick, and she was wearing eye shadow, mascara, things he hadn't seen her sport before. Her clothes in the pictures were what shocked him the most. Instead of the bold, slightly grungy, I-don't-give-a-shit outfits that he'd become accustomed to seeing, she was wearing actual preppy clothes. Pinks, yellows, baby-blues… t-shirts, v-necks, tank-tops, mini-skirts… Kris looked girly. The persona of the girl in the photos seemed to be opposite of the girl he'd come to know. He rather thought that the girl in the pictures would be the type of girl Kris would make fun of.

A framed picture on her bedside caught Bradin's attention. There was the same preppy Kris he'd seen on the walls, and she was standing beside a black-haired green-eyed guy who had both arms wrapped around her. They were both beaming at the camera, though their eyes were focused on each other. They looked like they adored each other. It was signed. Above their heads was written the words, 'For Krissy, I give my love always and forever. Your man (to toy with anyway you want to), Seth.'

"What the hell are you doing in my room?" a deadly voice belonging to an even deadlier Kris demanded as she walked into her room. She marched up to Bradin and yanked the frame away from him, hiding it's picture from view, though she knew it was too late.

"I just wanted to see you, and your mom told me to wait in here," he tried to explain.

"And so you came in? You come in here, uninvited, and look at my personal stuff. You violated my privacy!" she screeched, harshly yanking on his arm to get him away from the picture-filled walls.

"I'm sorry." He sheepishly offered. And then he figured that she couldn't get much more upset than she already was, so he commented, "You sure changed a lot…."

"Bite me. I was going through a phase." She said defensively.

"It looks more like you're going through a phase now," he said.

"Get out!" Kris yelled.

"And, Krissy? Who's Seth?" he asked.

Very, very stupid move, Westerly. Kris's eyes flashed as the reserve she had snapped. Her hand, which had been twitching dangerously before, now swung up and connected sharply with his jaw, causing him to stumble backwards a bit.

"None of your damn business, ass hole. Maybe you didn't hear me earlier, I told you to get away from me, and to stay away. If you come near me again, stalker, I will break your nose." She growled.

"I-"

"FUCK OFF!" she shrieked, shoving him out of her room and against the hallway wall. She grabbed his arm and dragged him to her front door. Her mother stood there, looking curious.

"Never, never, NEVER, let ANYONE into my room again. And if HE ever comes by again, for the sake of all that's holy, don't invite him in!" Kris yelled at the woman.

"He's such a nice young man, don't you think you're being a little harsh, Tina?" she sighed.

"Harsh?" Kris snorted.

"You know, Seth-" she started.

"Stop it." Kris ground her teeth together and gave Bradin a flying thud out the door, slamming it as he landed on the cement.

So Kris had secrets like a normal human being after all.

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A/N: I've gotten a fictionpress account: username is True Obsession. In case any of you were wondering ;o) 


	8. Chapter 8

Kris was not in a good mood. No one from Playa Linda had set foot in her room before. She didn't know whether to feel embarrassed or outraged that of all the people who could have seen her very valley girl room, Bradin Westerly had to be the first. Her present room looked quite a bit like it had looked like back in her old home. She changed herself drastically upon moving to this stupid spit of sunshine, but the one part of her past that she salvaged from her personal wreckage was her room. It served as a sanctuary from the image she saw in the mirror, both a comforting area and also a warning reminder of all that had happened to her in the past.

As Bradin no doubt knew by now, Kris was not always such a cynical punk-esque bitch. In fact, it had only been in the last six months that she had warped into who she was now. For most of her life, she had been a good girl. She went to church on Sundays, kept up perfect grades, rode in the popular crowd at her school, and was even a cheerleader, and a damn good one at that. Everything she seemed to hate now was related to the girl she once embodied.

Brown hair, layered and straight. Designer clothes, expensive shoes. A chronic smile. She was a girly girl.

And she had also been the girlfriend of a star football player. He was sweet and the two were the Golden couple for a few months. Then he moved away, and in doing so crushed Kris in the process. Of course, he hadn't really broken up with her, and he was far from happy at the prospect of leaving. He had actually cried on his last night in town, and she still smiled when she thought of him.

This leads us to Kris's next serious boyfriend. She had been deeply saddened when Mr. All-American left and had declined the multiple guys who then proceeded to ask her out. She leaned on the shoulders of her best girlfriends for support, but also against the shoulder of one specific guy. He had been friends with her ex-boyfriend, and had helped her to get over him. The comfort sessions changed into something more when he asked her out one day, almost two months since her break up. They had gotten very close, and he swore that he would not hurt her, that they would move slowly. She agreed, and with that agreement she lost a few friends along the way. This wasn't a second all-star athlete. He was a friend with her ex through forces unseen by many of the school population, since they were from different cliques. He had a slightly grungy, punk essence, with his longish black hair, band shirts, and multiple piercings (eyebrow, lip, and tongue to be precise). He was one of the only guys who didn't insist on wearing ultra baggy pants, opting for classic fit jeans that hung casually off his body, yet exemplifying his attractiveness. Kris thought he was incredibly hot, and add that to his musical, artistic, and academic talent and up popped up a guy who she perceived as irresistible. He had a soft, slightly raspy voice, long, slightly calloused fingers, and eyes with enough emotion to take your breath away. The relationship that the two would share would make her relationship with Mr. All-American look like a childish kindergarten crush in comparison. His name was Seth Allister and he was the only guy she had ever loved.

A bunch of her friends hated him. He had a tortured artist vibe to him that clashed with the preppy attitudes of several people whom Kris had once hung out with. Some thought she was being rude for moving on from her last boyfriend. It had been two months, what did they expect? Did they actually want her to somehow turn into a nun, saving herself from any guy until the day where her ex came back (which would be never)? They didn't like Seth, he was too different, and he wasn't their type. She lost a fair few friends but she didn't care at the time and she doesn't care now.

When she says she loved him, she means it. He was so intense, so wonderful. Their friends who weren't complete asses didn't mind their relationship and they formed a group of prunk kids. She pretty much adored him.

After almost a year of bliss, he wanted to go further. This didn't surprise her. After all, it had been a long time. The thing was she didn't want to have sex until after high school. Remember, she was a good girl at heart. He seemed okay with it at first but after a month or so, he began threatening to break up with her if she wouldn't do it. She naturally refused at first, but when she felt that he was seriously drifting away, she finally slept with him. They slept together several times before he suddenly dumped her anyways. He had apparently gotten bored, thought that their relationship was too serious. He was uncomfortable with it and so he left her. He was with someone else in about three days. If she was crushed when her football-playing boyfriend left, she was dying inside now. He said that things had been good at first, but that after they slept together she was pressuring him too much about commitment, about their future. He had told her that he only wanted to have a good time, and he was sorry if she didn't feel the same way.

Being childish and entirely unused to this dumping thing, she lashed out. Her entire demeanor changed and those friends who had left her earlier mocked her now. Those who tried to help her eventually gave up, and it was at that point that her life changed forever.

She didn't want to be played again. She couldn't ever have her virginity back, so she figured nothing else in that department mattered. Angry with guys in general, and wanting revenge anyway she could grab it, she began dating around even though she was far from over Seth. She slept around as a defense mechanism. Before this, of course, she had switched schools so she wouldn't have to see his face every day. When she moved away, she didn't want anything to remind her of how weak she had been. She was mad at the hours wasted pining after him and she changed herself completely. She burned her old clothes, and decided that since no own in this new town knew her yet, she could manipulate how they saw her. She wanted to hurt guys before they could hurt her.

Bradin was no exception. Except when he started to see through her deception. Now that he knew what she was, she had no idea how she would explain anything to him without coming off as immature. But then, why did she have to explain anything to him? It wasn't any of his business what she did in her past, or how she got where she was today. In fact, nothing about her was his business. Some stupid little stalking surfer who developed some sort of crush on her was not entitled to anything.

With that mindset, Kris roughly shouldered her backpack that Monday morning and marched out the door, determined as hell to be confident and to not let anything get to her. She didn't exactly know what she was going to do, but she did know that she had to confuse Bradin and get him as far away from the truth as she could. She wasn't going to let anyone here know what a fool she had once been.

"You're such a dog, I hope you realize that." She rolled her eyes as she reached her locker only to find Bradin waiting there for her.

"What the hell happened this weekend?"

"You took stalking to a whole new level, and, I didn't know it was possible, but you made me lose any respect for you that I may have had before." She stated cheerfully.

"Why won't you let me in, Kris?"

"Aw, let's be fair, Surfer Boy. I've let you in, around, over, and against more than most guys have."

"You know that's not what I meant." To her amusement, he turned a light pink.

She leaned in close to him and ran a finger gingerly down his chest. When she spoke, he could feel her breath brush against his cheek. "What is it that you want from me, Westerly?"

As she expected, her close proximity to him made him seriously flustered and he swallowed uneasily, obviously having to hold himself back from reacting physically to her tease.

"I want you to let me in emotionally. I've just realized how little I know about you, and it's disturbing me."

"We've known each other how long, Westerly? And you've just realized you don't know me at all? I'd say you're just trying to ease your conscience for sleeping with a girl multiple times without taking the time to know me first. And I'd also say that this is baby's first benefit-only relationship."

"It is. And I'm not ashamed of that fact."

The way he said it made her laugh lowly. She leaned in closer still and caressed his chest with both her hands before clasping her hands together around his neck. "And you think I should be ashamed that it's not my first, don't you?"

"It's your life."

"Don't pretend to be so up righteous. You're judging me. Have been since we first met. I know what you think of me, the same as they all do." Her hands dropped to his upper arms and she leaned in against his ear, "I'm a slut. And baby, I'm not ashamed. It _is_ my life, remember your own words."

He jerked aside, putting some distance between the two of them, and Kris smirked. She was definitely affecting him.

"Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Using your sexuality as a weapon."

"Because it is one, hon." She answered. "It' s the best one there is, especially against stupid little boys who don't know anything at all except the fact that they need sex."

"I'm trying to forge a relationship with you."

"Like I said. You're a stupid little boy who doesn't know a thing." Her smile had faded now and her voice was full of spite when she stated, "There's no such thing as a relationship. It's a lie, a false little pink package that makes people feel better for being naughty little children."

"What made you think this way?" Bradin snapped. "Seth?"

This time she had to fight to refrain from saying something rash. "No one _made_ me do anything."

"Bull shit. Who was that guy in the picture? What did he do to you?"

"He raped me and hit me, and I didn't know what to do, daddy." Kris said in a childish voice. "Please. I'm not some damsel."

"He hurt you, I can see it in your eyes."

"He was a better man than you will ever be." She defended.

"He's obviously an ex. Why are you still defending him?"

"Because you need to get over yourself. I don't even like you, Westerly. You're just a decent body, a pretty face, a fair fuck."

"And Seth wasn't?"

"You're meaningless, Surfer Boy. And I know it eats you up inside that I'm not pining after you. You're just like all the others I've been with. So stop acting like you're the one who will change me. You can't change me unless you've affected me."

"It was him, wasn't it? He treated you like you're treating me."

"How am I treating you?"

"Like an object to be used and then discarded."

"You knew the terms, it's not my fault you thought you could be the exception. I thought you'd get the concept of a physical relationship, but I must have overestimated your empty blonde head."

"You're a real bitch, you know that?"

"Of course." She grinned. He was getting pretty pissed. Her hand slipped to his waist and a finger dipped down under his jeans, her nail scraping his bare skin a little too close to something she was all too familiar with. He gasped in surprise and couldn't stop a low moan from escaping his lips. She positioned her face so that her lips were only a few centimeters away from his, and this time, his will power failed and he forcefully cupped her face and pressed his lips against hers. He all but shoved her against her locker and the rough intensity in which his lips were working demonstrated just how much of an affect she had on him. She pressed her nail harder against his skin and he moaned again. Smirking, Kris moved away from him.

"Even when you're pissed as hell, you still want me more than anything. Funny, isn't it?" she patted his cheek condescendingly. "Stupid. Little. Boy."

Kris walked away, leaving Bradin panting heavily. She was satisfied. It had been ridiculously easy to distract Bradin. He wanted her, all right. It reassured her to know that she had all the power. And she was going to make sure he knew that. Because she wouldn't be able to survive being out of control and toyed with again. She knew that she was being cruel, she knew that it wasn't right, and she knew that this wasn't doing her any actual good in the way of getting over Seth, but hey- at least she got to forget about him for a while and have a little fun in the process.

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**A/N:** So sorry about the delay, but I've been completely obsessed with Higher Ground fan fiction right now, heh I've found a blonde hotter than Jesse (don't throw rocks at me!). Never fear, I won't leave this story unfinished. Thank you for the reviews : ) 


	9. Chapter 9

Bradin told himself he would not lose his head. He promised himself that he'd talk rationally until he knew what was going on. It really sucked that his will power was significantly less than he hoped it would be.

Why was everything on her terms? It wasn't fair. He should have some say in the way things were going. The crappy thing was that it wasn't like she was making him do anything. He was lost in her willingly.

No. No! He had more will power than this. He refused to let some girl control him. He was turning into a borderline obsessive sap, and that wasn't who he was.

If she didn't want an emotional connection, then he'd make sure that he got as much out of a physical one that he possibly could.

"Kris."

"Westerly." She smirked.

"I've made a decision."

"Oh?"

"I won't push you anymore."

"Given up on the whole emotional relationship, have you?"

"But I don't want to be cut out of your life completely."

"Of course you don't. But you're being a good boy now. And good boys get rewarded." She grinned and grabbed his arm. "That is, if you want to be rewarded." He nodded briskly and she led him to an empty classroom. As far as rewards go, he'd have to say this was the best kind there was.

Once she shut the door discreetly, Bradin tried to push her against the wall. It was long since obvious that she disliked being on the bottom and she pushed him right back. Her lips and tongue traveled everywhere and by the time twenty minutes were up, he looked considerably more disheveled than he had looked coming in. His hair was a mess, his clothes wrinkled, and his expression slightly dazed.

"Bradin." Kris touched his shoulder as they left the room. "Listen. I know you want to be with me. But, as I've been trying really hard to tell you, I don't want to be with you-"

"No, it's okay. I'm fine with the benefits thing now."

"No, Bradin. I'm sorry, but today was the last time."

"You bored of me?"

"Don't take it too hard. And please don't stalk me."

"But wait- I still don't know anything about you!" Bradin grabbed her arm.

"You're not going to. Maybe I like being enigmatic. In any case, I just might need a break from guys in general. And besides, if I don't cut you loose completely you're probably going to fail your third period class."

"I don't care."

"Bradin. Let it go. You won't have me. Now, I'm giving you the chance to walk away on nice terms. We can pretend this was mutual and it won't hurt you as much. If you keep approaching me, I'm not going to be as gentle."

The blonde touched her cheek but she pulled back. Her voice was light, but her words were harsh. "If you touch me again, I'll hit you. Walk away, Westerly. Just walk away." She waited for him to drop his hand, watched as he swallowed his words. He knew now that no matter what he did, nothing would change. She wasn't ready for a relationship and he didn't want to alienate her. So he did as she asked and walked away. When he looked back at her, she was already gone.

She was the only girl who had ever told him no. Why is it that a person always wants to go after the one thing they can't have?

In any case, Bradin was sick of being her lap dog. He wanted to be with her, but after he completely threw away his dignity for the entire time the two were together, he needed to hang on to any scrap of self respect he still had.

Bradin was a horny, cocky, and sometimes a bit of a jackass. He had let sex with one girl disillusion him to who he really was. Down in his heart he was a good guy, but no one had ever described him as pathetic. He usually rolled with the punches aimed his way and he knew that the past few weeks had warped his character… Kris had somehow managed to change him into this pitiful sap.

He wouldn't stay that way. His pride stung again and again, Bradin decided to let her drop. There were things more important to him than girls, and one of those things included being true to himself. Shaking his head, Bradin realized he had sold out for her. Every characteristic he had mocked once upon a time, he had shown.

Not any more.

Bradin Westerly was not going to be any one's poodle. His days of being Kris's bitch were over.

Most of the town wanted to sleep with him for a lot less hassle, and he was not about to risk his reputation for a woman who had already made it clear that she didn't want to be with him. That just wasn't his style, and it was way past due time that he realized it.

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A/N: thanks for reviewing, sorry for the delay. I know I should be writing more for a Different Path, and for those waiting for that update, I apologize. But hey, if you want a regularly updated story of mine, my Higher Ground 'Introspect' story is one I work on weekly. Sorry again. 


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